Roxbury Latin students volunteer to help seniors with technology

Julie M. Cohen jcohen@wickedlocal.com

Friday

Oct 20, 2017 at 7:00 AM

Andrew White and Luke Donovan admit that although they are adept at computers, sometimes they’re stumped by their students’ questions. The two are just some of the Roxbury Latin volunteers who assist Boston seniors every week with their technology challenges.

White, of Dover, said, “I’ve been raised on this technology,” and therefore navigating a computer is second nature to him. While volunteering for three years White, a senior, said he enjoys talking to the participants, adding he knows the assistance, “makes so much of a difference to the elderly people we work with.”

Ethos, a private, nonprofit organization that assists the elderly and disabled living at home, has been connecting the older students with their teen teachers for more than 10 years.

Elaine Driscoll, assistant to the headmaster and director of service, coordinates bringing the seniors and Roxbury Latin volunteers together for the sessions that take place at the West Roxbury school’s campus. The get-togethers are as much about socializing as they are about assistance with laptops and iPhones. In fact, there is no compulsory community service requirement at the school, and there were almost two volunteers per senior during a recent class.

Zach Levin, a volunteer who is in his final year at the school, recently tried to help Louise Voveris, of Milton, make labels from her Christmas address list.

Admitting he was at a loss, he turned to his phone and said it was time to confer with “my good friend, Google.”

Across the large wooden table sat sophomores Joey Barrett, of Needham, Luke Donovan, of Cohasset, and Sam Ginsberg, of Needham, who were concentrating on helping Jamaica Plain resident Mary McConnell with an email issue.

Asked why he decided to volunteer, Donovan said, “This (is) one good way to give back to Roxbury Latin and the community.”

McConnell appreciated the boys’ efforts and said they were “so helpful to me. … These kids are very patient.”

That sentiment was echoed by Louise DeAngelis, of Hyde Park.

“Both of them are great,” she said, referring to White and senior Ben LaFond, of Sharon, who were working on an Excel spreadsheet with her. “They’re very patient, kind and extremely knowledgeable.”

As the buzz of conversation around the table continued, students and seniors peered into screens, typed on keyboards and worked on ways to make the technology work for them.

Asked if she was glad she joined the sessions, DeAngelis smiled and said she was, adding, “I want to learn as much as I can.”